Monday, April 14, 2014

General Court-Martial Convening Authority Approved Pvt. Manning’s Record of Trial

Big news folks.

The Convening Authority has rejected Chelsea's request for clemency, which means the only person left with the authority to immediately reduce her sentence is President Obama. Outrageously, the White House has stated they won't respond to Chelsea's request for executive clemency until after her appeals process, which could take years. In other words, it's nothing but a stalling method until President Obama is out of office.

The Support Network will be organizing a call-in to the White House for later this week (stay posted for the e-mail!) In the meantime, I welcome people's suggestions for additional ways to protest this decision while calling on President Obama for action. Let's brainstorm!

Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, commanding general, approved the findings and sentence adjudged at the court-martial. Buchanan’s decision comes after consideration of clemency matters submitted by Manning’s defense counsel in March. His decision to approve the results of the court-martial, which concluded on Aug. 21, 2013, means that no clemency was granted in the case. Manning’s case will be appealed, automatically, to the Army Court of Criminal Appeals in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Manning pled guilty to 10 separate offenses but was ultimately found guilty of 20 offenses, including seven specifications of wrongful possession and transmission of national defense information, five specifications of theft of government information, two specifications of unauthorized access to a government computer and wrongful possession and transmission of protected government information, five specifications of violation of lawful regulations related to his computer use and storage of classified information, and one specification of wrongful publication of U.S. intelligence information. Manning was sentenced to 35 years confinement; reduction to the rank of private (E-1); dishonorable discharge; and forfeiture of all pay and allowances. Presiding judge Col. Denise Lind granted Manning 1,293 days of confinement credit against the sentence to confinement.

Buchanan’s options as convening authority included disapproval of all or part of the findings and disapproval or modification of all or part of the sentence in the case. Convening authorities do not have authority to impose additional punishment or change a court finding of not guilty to guilty.
Manning’s case will now be transferred to the Army Court of Criminal Appeals.

Media queries may be emailed to the U.S. Army Military District of Washington Public Affairs Office at usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediadesk-omb@mail.mil.